Knowing what to ask can help you be better informed about a senior care home. The answers you hear could be valuable when you are trying to help yourself or a loved one decide if a home could be a good place for them to live. Here are ten good questions to ask:
- What is the staff-to-resident ratio?
- What are the staffing shifts and how does resident care change overnight?
- How do you determine the level of care that my loved one will need? Or does every resident receive the same level of care?
- What type of training does the staff receive and how often do they receive it?
- How experienced are the nurses and resident care aides?
- What happens if my loved one requires skilled nursing?
- Ask them to explain what they mean by statements they make in marketing materials, especially “24 hour nursing care” and “memory care” or other specialized services.
- What special care or services do they provide for residents with dementia?
- Have you ever been cited or investigated by the State Department of Health?
- What is your discharge policy?
